Seeds of Opportunity: The African Growth Series
June 2023 | Issue 3
In this week's issue, you will learn more about:
- AFRICA OPPORTUNITY: Green Investments - Does Africa Have Enough Projects to Absorb Large Capital?
- AFRICA TREND: Climate Change -The Threat to Africa's Logistics Sector
- UPCOMING EVENT: Big 5 Construct Southern Africa
- UPCOMING EVENT: The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Conference 2023
- UPCOMING EVENT: Transport Evolution Africa Awards
AFRICA OPPORTUNITY: Green Investments - Does Africa Have Enough Projects to Absorb Large Capital?
Africa is ripe with potential for green investment. Frost & Sullivan's investment barometer has tracked an impressive 801 investment projects continent-wide, 87 of which are environmentally-friendly initiatives spread across 22 countries, cumulating to a colossal value of $453 billion. This indicates a substantial interest in and capacity for absorbing large capital into green projects. With a plethora of such initiatives, the opportunities range from renewable energy, port infrastructure, ICT to sustainable agriculture and more. Innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) can further bolster the efficiency, transparency, and scalability of these projects. Africa is ready to absorb capital from Private Equity, Venture Capital and Development Financial Institutions (amongst others) for green projects and transform the future.
AFRICA TREND: Climate Change -The Threat to Africa's Logistics Sector
Climate change, if not addressed, carries a hefty fine for the logistics sector, threatening the lifeblood of many economies. Yet it has also opened a door of opportunity for establishing sustainable and climate change-resilient logistics systems. At the forefront of this would be infrastructure resilience, sustainable transport, renewable energy integration, and upgrades in technology and innovation. Climate change in Africa threatens pillar industries like Agriculture and Transport - destroying crops and disrupting food transport markets. One-third of the world’s droughts are estimated to occur in sub-Saharan Africa, with regions like Ethiopia and Kenya currently exposed to extreme-prolonged droughts of 40 decades, while some regions are exposed to torrential rains and floods affecting transport infrastructure including roads and railway systems. With exposure to extreme weather, these suffer structural damage and accelerated infrastructure aging that can lead to considerable financial losses. In Tanzania, for the worst-case scenario, losses due to climate change were estimated to result in up to US$1.4 million per day. Africa’s full potential has long been short-circuited by infrastructural and systemic challenges. The populations that will feel the grunt of the impacts are the populations situated in rural agricultural and fishing communities which are often underfunded and cannot afford to maintain infrastructure to protect themselves from adverse weather. This calls for collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders governments, international organizations, private sector companies, and research institutions to develop joint initiatives and share best practices through a targeted approach centered on raising resilient infrastructure, cash transfers, and easier borrowing to help protect the poor when climate shocks occur. Instrumental financing stakeholders so far include UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), German development agency GIZ, World Bank, AfDB, etc. Other related industries that can ride an opportunity wave are those that can supply heat-resistant asphalt, install flood defense walls using reinforced steel, etc., to address sound infrastructure design.
UPCOMING EVENT: Big 5 Construct Southern Africa
Rapid population growth in Africa prompts leaders to address effective urban connectivity and resource limitations. Smart city design or integrating smart elements can enable communities to overcome obstacles and accelerate development. Examples of African cities adopting smart city technologies include Cape Town in South Africa, Kigali Innovation City in Rwanda, and Eko Atlantic City in Nigeria. These cities leverage technology and data-driven solutions to tackle crucial challenges such as water and waste management, traffic congestion, parking scarcity, and electricity access.
At the Big 5 Construct Southern Africa, Yaa Ngonyama will be joined by several key experts to investigate and discuss renewable energy sources and sustainable energy solutions that power smart cities in Africa. The Big 5 Construct Southern Africa will offer over 30 free workshops from 27 to 29 June at Gallagher Convention Centre.
Enhance your knowledge and gain exclusive insights from industry experts.
See the line-up and register for your free pass now at https://bit.ly/3LmJzvE
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UPCOMING EVENT: The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Conference 2023
You can still register for The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Conference 2023, happening 28-29 June 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa. The AfCFTA Conference will present the Agreement, the opportunities it creates, the anticipated economic benefits, and potential pitfalls.
Join Research Director for Frost & Sullivan Africa, Craig Parker, on 29 June at 09h00 as he presents on ''Logistics Infrastructure is the Cornerstone to Sustainable African Trade''.
Click here to register: https://lnkd.in/dXwUnEtm.
For further inquiries, please get in touch with Mr. Mlambo on +2721 556 9253, alternatively WhatsApp on +2779 013 7629.
UPCOMING EVENT: Transport Evolution Africa Awards
One week left before the nominations close for the Transport Evolution Africa Awards, happening on 21 September (Durban ICC), where Frost & Sullivan Africa's Partner & CEO Hendrik Malan will be part of the Judging Panel.
Looking for more information or have a nominee in mind? Click the link below to learn more about the Awards and to submit your entry - https://lnkd.in/eEdGqBqk.
To find out more about opportunities in Africa, please get in touch with Lynne Martin.
